Distribution apparatus



Nov. 12, 1935. w. H SCHRAMM DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS 2 Shets-Sheet 1 FiledApril 22, 1933 INVENTOR Walter H 50/7 rqmm ATTORN w. H. SCHRAMM-DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1935 INVENTQRWaiter H. Sabra/72m.

Nov. 12, 1935.

Patented Nov. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE DISTRIBUTIONAPPARATUS Pennsylvania Application April 22, 1933, Serial No. 667,412

llclaims.

My invention relates, generally, to distribution apparatus and, moreparticularly, to distribution switchboards wherein automatic circuitbreakers are mounted upon panel units for protecting the circuits of apower-distribution system.

An object of my invention, generally stated, is to provide a means formounting automatic circuit breakers upon a switchboard which shall besimple and eflicient in operation and .which may be economicallymanufactured and installed.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide for readilyremoving an automatic circuit breaker from its operative position topermit inspection, cleaning of the contact members, repair orreplacement of parts of the circuit breaker unit.

A further object of my invention is to prevent the circuit breaker frombeing removed from its operative position while the contact members ofthe circuit breaker are in the closed position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mechanical means fordrawing the circuit breaker into its operative position.

A still further object of my invention is to provide resilient contactmembers for connecting the terminals of the circuit breaker toelectrical conductors mounted on the supporting frame of the switchboardpanel.

Other objects of my invention will be either explained fully hereinafteror will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art. In accordance with oneembodiment of my invention; a circuit breaker unit is mounted on a panelwhich is hinged at the bottom and provided with a mechanical levering inor latching device at thetop for drawing the circuit breaker into theoperative position and retaining For a fuller understanding of thenature and scope of my invention,-reference may be had to the followingdetailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view, in front elevation, of a switchboard panel having anautomatic circuit breaker mounted thereon according to one embodiment ofmy invention, I

Fig. 2 is a view, partially in side elevation and partially in section,of the panel and circuit breaker shown in Fig. 1,

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged views showing details of construction of thelevering in device for drawing the circuit breaker into the operativeposition,

Fig. 5 is a-view, partially in side elevation, and partially in section,showing the hinged panel and the circuit breaker in the lowered orinoperative position.

Referring now to the drawings, the apparatus shown comprises a panelmember I which is pivotally mounted on a supporting framework comprisingtwo pairs of upright channels I I and II. The panel I0 is preferablymade of sheet steel although other materials, such as slate, may 80 beutilized if desired.

As illustrated, the panel It may be pivotally mounted on the frameworkby means of two lugs l3, which are bolted to the upright members II, anda bar It which extends through the supporting members l3 and is securedto the flanges of the panel III or it may be mounted in any othersuitable manner. As shown in Fig. 5, the panel l0 may be lowered to ahorizontal position, one or more stops l5 being provided to limit thedownward movement of the panel.

The panel I0 is so formed that an enclosed automatic circuit breakerunit It may be removably mounted on the rear of the panel, the breakerunit being supported by the bottom flange II on the panel or in anyother suitable manner. Spacing bars l8 and I9 are provided at the topand the bottom of the breaker housing to insure the necessary clearancebetween the breaker housing and the panel for the proper functioning ofan interlocking device that will be fully described hereinafter.

The automatic'circuit breaker I8 is preferably of the type fullydescribed in the copending applications of H. J. Lingal, Serial Nos.600,624 and 637,749, filed March 23, 1932 and October 14, 1932,respectively, and assigned to the Westinghouse Electric 8; ManufacturingCompany, although any suitable circuit breaker may be readily utilized.The circuit breaker may be provided with a fixed or removable operatinghandle 2| which protrudes through an opening 22 in the panel Ill.

The circuit breaker unit may be placed in the panel l0 when'it is in thehorizontal position, as u shown in Fig. 5, and the panel and the circuitbreaker then raised to the operative position. Since the breaker unit isretained in the correct position by the supporting flange II or othermeans and the spacer members i8 and 13, it is not necessary to securethe breaker unit to the panel by means of bolts or screws. If it isdesired to remove the breaker unit for inspection or replacement, thebreaker must be opened to operate the interlock and the panel may thenbe lowered, to the horizontal position and the breaker unit lifted outof the panel. It is, therefore, not necessary for the person removingthe breaker unit to go to the rear of the supporting framework wherethere would be danger of coming in contact with energized electricalconductors.

The circuit breaker illustrated is a three-pole breaker and is providedwith three pairs of terminal members 23, mounted on the rear of thecircuit breaker housing. Electrical conductors 24 are connected tocontact blocks or members 25 which are secured to cross members 20 onthe upright members l2. The contact blocks 25 are insulated from thecross members 20 by insulating sleeves, as shown.

In order that proper contact pressure may be obtained between theterminal members 23 on the circuit breaker unit and the contact blocks23, resilient contact members 26 are interposed between the terminalmembersand the contact blocks. As shown, each of the contact members 26comprises a base or body member 21, which may be secured to the terminalmember 23 by means of screws 28, or in any other suitable manner, and aplurality of leaf springs 29, one end of which are secured to the bodymember 21-. A flexible band 3|, of copper, or other material having ahigh conductivity, surrounds the leaf springs and the body member 2'!and is interposedbetween the body member and the terminal member 23. Theflexible band 3| is secured in position by the screws 28 and a stud bolt32 which also serves to secure the springs 29 to the body member.

When the panel I0 and the circuit breaker unit I6 are raised to theupright position, the contact members 26 engage the contact blocks 23.As shown in Fig. 2, the springs 29 are compressed, thereby pressing thebands 3| against the contact blocks and insuring that the proper contactarea and pressure for conducting highvalues of electrical current ismaintained.

In order that the panel I3 and the circuit breaker may be moved to theproper operative position, in which the springs 28 on the contactmembers 28 are compressed, a mechanical "levering in" or latching device33 is provided at the top of the panel i 0 for drawing the panel and thecircuit breaker into the operative position.

As shown in Fig. 3, the levering in" device 33 comprises .a screw 34which is disposed to cooperate with a cross member 35 secured to thesupporting framework ll. As shown in Fig. 4, the cross member 35 isprovided with a threaded hole 36 for receiving the screw 34. 'Ihe screw34 is mounted in a bearing plate 31, secured to the top flange of thepanel l3, and is provided with a shoulder 38 for retaining the screw inthe bearing plate. A spring key 3! is also provided for retaining thescrew 34 in position when the panel II is lowered to the horizontalposition.

A hole 4|, having a. keyway 42, is provided in the head of the screw 34to receive a crank 43 for turning the screw. The crank 43- is providedwith a key 44 which may be inserted in the keyway 42 in the screw 34. Ahandle 43 is secured to the end of the crank 43. An opening 43 isprovided in the panel i0, opposite the head of the screw 34, to permitthe crank 43 to be inserted in the screw. A key plate 41, having aslotted hole 43 for receiving the crank 43, is placed over the 5 opening46 in the panel I0.

It will be seen that the panel and the circuit breaker unit may bereadily drawn into the operative position and the pressure oi thesprings 29 on the contact members 28 overcome by turn- 10 ing the screw34 by means of the crank 43. After the panel has been drawn into theproper position, the crank 43 may be removed and the panel will beretained in the proper position by the screw 34, which functions as alock to pre- 15 vent the panel from being removed.

In order to prevent the operation of the device 33 and thereby preventthe circuit breaker l6 from being removed from the operative positionwhile the circuit breaker mechanism is in the 20 closed" position, amechanical interlock is provided which is operated by the circuitbreaker handle 21. The interlock comprises a sliding bar 5| which isdisposed between the circuit breaker housing and the panel ll. Anopening 52 is pro- 25 vided in the bar 3| through which the handle 2| ofthe circuit breaker extends. The bar 5i is, therefore, actuated up anddown as the circuit breaker handle is operated. When the circuit breakerhandle is in the closed position, the 30 upper end of the bar 5! israised to a position in which it blocks the opening 46 in the panel i0and prevents the crank 43 from being inserted into the screw 34 to turnthe screw. When the circuit breaker handle is in the of! position, the36 bar II is lowered to a position which permits the crank 43 to beinserted through the opening 48 to operate the screw 34.

In this manner the interlocking device makes it impossible for thecircuit breaker unit to be 40 removed from the operative position whilethe contact members of the circuit breaker are closed, therebypreventing an are from being drawn between the contact members 25 and26, which might be injurious to both the contact 45 members and theoperator. It is also impossible to close the panel to a position inwhich the upper row of contact members 23 engage the upper row ofcontact blocks 25, unless the breaker handle is in the o position, sincethe crank 30 43 cannot be inserted to turn the screw 34 to draw thebreaker into the full upright position.

While I have illustrated and described the details of construction of asingle breaker unit, it will be understood that any desired number of 66circuit breakers may be mounted on panels which are disposed one abovethe other, or on side by side relation and each unit may be operatedwithout interfering with the other units, thereby providing aswitchboard which is simple and O0 compact in design, is of a neatappearance and which may be economically manufactured. Furthermore, itis safe in operation, since the circuit breaker units may be readilyremoved from in front of the switchboard without requiring the IIoperator to subject himself to the danger of working at the rear of theswitchboard.

Since numerous changes may be made in the above-described construction,and diflerent embodiments of the invention may be made withto outdeparting from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitimsense. 13

I claim as my invention:

1. Current distributing apparatus comprising a supporting framework, aflanged panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, and a circuitbreaker unit mounted upon the rear of the panel and supported by theflange on the panel, whereby the panel may be actuated to a position topermit access to the circuit breaker unit from in front of the panel.

2. Current distributing apparatus comprising a supporting framework, aflanged panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, and a circuitbreaker unit removably mounted on the rear of said panel and supportedby the flange on the panel, whereby the panel may be actuated to aposition to permit the circuit breaker to be re moved from the panelfrom in front of the framework.

3. Current distributing apparatus comprising a supporting framework, aflanged panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, a circuit breakerunit removably mounted on the panel and supported by the flange on thepanel, said circuit breaker having a handle protruding through anopening in the panel and accessible from in front of the panel, andmechanical means for drawing the panel and the circuit breaker unit intooperative position on the framework.

4. In current distributing apparatus, in combination, a supportingframework, a flanged panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, acircuit breaker unit removably mounted on the rear of said panel andsupported by the flange on the panel, and a screw for drawing the paneland the circuit breaker unit into operative position on the framework.

5. In current distributing apparatus, in combination, a supportingframework, a flanged panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, acircuit breaker unit removably mounted on the rear of said panel andsupported by the flange on the panel, a screw for drawing the panel andthe circuit breaker unit into operative position on the framework, andmeans for operating said screw.

6. In a current distributing apparatus, in combination, a supportingframework, a flanged panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, a v

of said panel and supported by the flange on the panel, a screw disposedto cooperate with said framework to draw the panel and the circuitbreaker unit into operative position on the framework, and a removablecrank for operating the 5 screw.

8. In current distributing apparatus, in combination, a supportingframework, a panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, a circuitbreaker unit removably mounted on the 10 panel, said circuit breakerhaving a handle protruding through an opening in the panel, mechanicalmeans for drawing the panel and the circuit breaker unit into operativeposition on the framework, and interlocking means disposed 15 betweenthe panel and the circuit breaker unit and cooperating with said circuitbreaker handle to control the operation of said mechanical means.

9. In current distributing apparatus, in com- 20 bination, a supportingframework, a panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, a circuitbreaker unit removably mounted on the rear of said panel, said circuitbreaker having a handle protruding through an opening in the panel, me-25 chanical means for drawing the panel and the circuit breaker unitinto operative position onthe framework, and interlocking means disposedbetween the panel and the circuit breaker unit and operable by thecircuit breaker handle to so prevent the operation of said mechanicalmeans.

10. In current distributing apparatus, in combination, a supportingframework, a panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, a circuitbreaker unit removably mounted on the rear of as said panel, saidcircuit breaker having a handle protruding through an opening in thepanel, a screw disposed to cooperate with said framework to draw thepanel and the circuit breaker unit into operative position on theframework, 40 a removablehandle for operating said screw, and a slidablebar disposed between the panel and the circuit breaker unit and operableby the circuit breaker handle to prevent the operation of said screw bythe removable handle. 45

11. In current distributing apparatus, in combination, a supportingframework, a panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, a circuitbreaker unit removably mounted on the rearof the panel, said circuitbreaker having a handle protruding through an opening in the panel,means for latching the panel in the operative position on the frameworkand interlocking means disposed between the panel and the circuitbreaker unit and cooperating with saidcircuit breaker handle to controlthe operation of said latching means.

WALTER H. SCHRAW.

